4) “If you plug one leak, it’s going to come out from the other side.” Democratic state Representative Robert Saucier gushed out this remark in March, trying to explain why he opposed a bill that would have banned publicly funded candidates from also operating political action committees. The measure was killed in a bipartisan vote, so the stupidity was widespread.

3) “This isn’t easy stuff for anybody. But it’s better than the alternative.” Democratic state Representative Adam Goode’s halfhearted attempt in the Bangor Daily to justify balancing the budget by slapping a sales tax on amusements and some services, an idea that’s been rejected five times in the past decade.

2) “Finally, as [you] may know, this bill is a political [lightning] rod ... and given the short session and how much bipartisan work is ahead of us, I voted to keep this bill out of the mix.” Democratic Senate President Justin Alfond sent out this email explaining why on November 21 he joined with Republican leaders in blocking a Democratic bill that would have included a plastics additive in the list of chemicals deemed unsafe under state law. Alfond supported allowing a bill to expand Medicaid into the upcoming session, even though it, too, is a “lightning rod.” This led to speculation he’d made a deal with somebody for something, a rumor he was stupid enough to publicly deny.

1) This spot could have gone to LePage saying, “Obama hates white people,” or to his claim that 47 percent of Mainers are drags on society or that he has a secret $47 million surplus. But none of those top this June outburst: “Senator [Troy] Jackson claims to be for the people, but he’s the first one to give it to the people without providing Vaseline.”

SMILING FACES | November 03, 2014 In an attempt to ease the state’s severe cognitive-dissonance shortage, the arbiters of good taste have spent this election season beseeching candidates to practice both civility and sincerity.

REASON HIDDEN | October 24, 2014 Late last year, Michaud publicly acknowledged his homosexuality. The experts were quick to claim it wouldn’t be a big factor in the gubernatorial race.

SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING BLUE | October 16, 2014 Want to save the taxpayers of Maine over $60 million? It’s so simple even somebody with no political skills at all can do it.